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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Five Reasons to Travel to Guimaras

Guimaras remains to be one of the many underrated places in the Philippines. It is a beautiful island where you can have a no-frills, honest to goodness escape from your busy everyday life. Here are five reasons that should convince you about traveling to the land of the sweetest ripe mangoes in the world.

• Ripe mangoes. And just like what’s said above, possibly the sweetest mangoes in the world. The soil in Guimaras is just so blessed to be able to yield such amazing produce. In fact, nobody is allowed to bring in mangoes to the island; as they may affect the quality of the ones harvested there. Yes, the mangoes in Guimaras are that special.

• It is very near Iloilo. You only need to take a ferry ride to the island! You can even take a day trip, although no beach trip is fun without spending the night in the resort, listening to waves and feeling the serenity. I’m starting to daydream here now.

• It isn’t crowded. If you’re the type who doesn’t like crowds, then Guimaras can be the perfect destination for you. I’m not saying you shouldn’t expect tourists altogether. It still remains to be a popular place, and it is not only you who appreciates seclusion and calm. But compared to other beaches in the country, it really is much better in terms of volume of tourists.

• Beautiful beaches. You shouldn't be surprised about this anymore. Anywhere you go in the Philippines, there’s a nice beach. Guimaras is no exception! In fact, if you go island-hopping, you will see virgin beaches that rival those in Boracay!

• The locals. You’ll just fall in love with everybody in Guimaras. Because the place is not so dense with tourists, locals treat tourists as visitors to their home. They are warm and really helpful. In fact, if you can find a local who can tour you around, you can be assured of a great time. Imagine being able to see new places and being able to hear back stories, myths and legends that surround them.

There are no direct flights to Guimaras. Book a flight with your airline of choice. All domestic airlines fly to Iloilo, such as Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific and Philippines Airlines. From Iloilo, you only need to take a ferryboat to Guimaras. And from there, you only need to hire a tricycle that will take you to your choice resort. (This is a guest post)

Compared to other tourist destinations in the country, I think Guimaras could still be considered as not very crowded. I've been there last week and their mangoes even the green ones are a must try. The mango pizza is the 1st meatless pizza I've tasted and one shouldn't leave the island without even trying it. And yes, the beach, the white sand beaches and amazing aquamarine life are too beautiful to be not included in one's itinerary. :D